Body Language and Gestures

Body Language

Body language is like a picture frame.  People make judgements about the artwork - even though it may be quite good - by the type of frame you put it in.  You want your picture frame to be good so people can appreciate the artwork inside (your speech).  

What is good body language?  We want to be able to express ourselves flexibly rather than be stuck in a static pose but there are some general things to look out for:

• Up and out, rather than down looking at the floor.
• Open rather than arms crossed or closed.
• Invested in what we're speaking about, which usually means a smile or engaged facial expression.
• Eye contact rather than looking away.
• At ease instead of tense. 

(In true Andy fashion, those letters make up the vowels of the alphabet backwards.  If I think of a better one I'll re-do this.)

To get a sense of these think of something you really like. Let's say it's ice cream.  

Get into a position exactly opposite all the things listed above.  Take a posture that's collapsed and look down at the ground.  Close your arms and hands tightly around yourself. Finally, put a frown on, a real scowl.

Now say "I like ice cream" (or whatever the thing you really like is).  It doesn't feel right, does it?  

Now let your posture open upwards, no longer looking at the floor, and say it again: “I like ice cream”.  It should feel slightly better. 

Uncross your arms and say it again.  Check how you feel. 

Now add a smile and say it again.  Check how you feel.

By this time, you probably feel a lot more like you do indeed like ice cream (or, again, your individual thing).     

One last thing: keep your upward and open posture with your smile but this time deliberately tense up and contract every muscle you can.  Keep your smile but every other facial muscle contracts.  Then say "I like ice cream".  I bet now it's back at least partially to not really feeling like you do.

Finally, keep your open and upward posture along with your smile and relax.  One last time, say it: "I like ice cream!"   (This is to re-set you back to positive.)

The feeling we ended with is the feeling you want.  It's not any particular thing but it's generally up, open and interested.  Into that frame you can put any picture you want to convey to the audience.  

As a side effect, you'll also feel better about yourself when you are giving your speech.  

Gestures in Speaking

People can be divided into three groups in relation to the use of gestures in public speaking.

Interestingly enough, one is the chronic gesturer. He or she cannot speak without using their hands.   If you think of some cultures that are stereotyped as speaking that way, you get the idea.  To address this:

• The first need is to smooth out those gestures out so they are like a conductor in front of an orchestra.  If you must move your hands while talking, make it smooth, keeping time with your words.
• The second need for these people is to learn how to punctuate certain key points in such a way that those gestures break through the established rhythm when you want to emphasize a point.  Sometimes people in this group are told to gesture and they reply 'I am gesturing!'  Really we mean these kind of 'break through' gestures.
• A third need is to stop any movement and gestures when you want to make a point that would best be emphasized by a pause.  In other words, at some points in your speech just stop everything, all gestures.  It may not be natural for you to talk like that all the time but you want to have that possibility in your repertoire.

The two other groups are: those people who are stuck in a pose (e.g. hands in pockets or hands clasped in front of them) or those people who are stuck except for one part of their body that is fidgeting (like a hand or a foot twitching).  A variation of the fidgeting is holding onto the podium or lectern for dear life to suppress your desire to fidget.

• For people in these two groups, it is helpful to do a speech where you take a moment to just do nothing. No speaking, no movements.  Keep your hands at your sides and your feet square.  Just learn to be comfortable with just being there.  Hold out for a little bit longer than you think you should.  You're learning that you can stand still comfortably without the world coming crashing down.   
• Sometimes a physical cue like pressing your thumb into one of your other fingers can be helpful.  Note that it’s better to use that as a cue to relax and center than as a crutch to suppress movement.
• Finally for this group is practicing expressive gestures and incorporating them into your speech.   For people in these two groups, learning to be still creates the feeling that you want to do something expressive.  Channel the nervous energy into a demonstrative gesture. 

Finally for all three groups, learn to walk away from the podium or lectern.   In one speech, go outside the boundaries a little.  Next speech, separate yourself from the podium for part of your speech (deliver it to one corner of the room).  For the speech after that, try not to go near the podium at all.